After delay, Lebanese lawmakers convene to approve Cabinet

Lebanese lawmakers have convened to confirm the country's new government, following a power outage and a broken generator that briefly delayed the start of the parliament session

BEIRUT -- Lebanese lawmakers convened Monday to confirm the country’s new government following a power outage and a broken generator that briefly delayed the start of the parliament session.

It took some 40 minutes before electricity came back on. The incident, which underscored the deep crisis roiling the small Mediterranean country amid an unprecedented economic meltdown, was derided on social media, with some saying they were glad politicians were getting a taste of their suffering.

Lebanese have been living with electricity blackouts and severe shortages in fuel, diesel and medicine for months, forcing hospitals to reduce their operations and threatening to shut down bakeries and schools. Lines stretching several kilometers (miles) of people waiting to fill up their tanks are a daily occurrence at gas stations across the country.

The economic crisis, unfolding since 2019, has been described by the World Bank as one of the worst in the world in the last 150 years. Within months, it had impoverished more than half of the population and left the national currency in freefall, driving inflation and unemployment to previously unseen levels.